Charged with accident for hitting dog

Leadfarmer153

Well-Known Member
What if you dont see the dog until after you have driven up to the customers house?
What if there isnt a phone# on the package?
What if the road you are on has no shoulder to safely park on in order to make your call?
Does UPS provide its drivers with cell phones to use for work purposes?
Is calling the customer on a phone part of the 340 methods that we are instructed to follow?
Is calling every customer a realistic expectation on a rural route where 80% of the homes have a dog running loose?

Think Bro.

You saw the dog after, you're screwed. Just hope you don't run over his head. Lay on the horn to see if someone comes out of the house. Probably not during the day.

We all have cell phones. Calling for safety or to avoid being charged with running over a dog....I think that's a grey area UPS will accept.

Start calling and before long the 80% will turn into 30% of dogs running loose. Once people stop getting there package and are notified dog is loose you don't get your stuff you'll be surprised how often you see that dog.

It's what I started doing after I saw a dog completely destroy a package after I threw it at him so he wouldn't bite me. Ate the plastic bag then the sweater that was inside. I have no clue how the dog lived after eating plastic and cloth.

Or keep driving in fear everyday of 80% of your stops. I'd rather do something about it instead of "that isn't my job to contact the house"
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
You saw the dog after, you're screwed. Just hope you don't run over his head. Lay on the horn to see if someone comes out of the house. Probably not during the day.

We all have cell phones. Calling for safety or to avoid being charged with running over a dog....I think that's a grey area UPS will accept.

Start calling and before long the 80% will turn into 30% of dogs running loose. Once people stop getting there package and are notified dog is loose you don't get your stuff you'll be surprised how often you see that dog.

It's what I started doing after I saw a dog completely destroy a package after I threw it at him so he wouldn't bite me. Ate the plastic bag then the sweater that was inside. I have no clue how the dog lived after eating plastic and cloth.

Or keep driving in fear everyday of 80% of your stops. I'd rather do something about it instead of "that isn't my job to contact the house"

I don't call any customers period be it dog or whatever other reason. When UPS starts given me a phone to use I might start. The only exception to the rule is when I stop at a business for a COD and they ask if they can meet me somewhere later then I will give them my number other wise it's Ni1, 2, 3.

The only stops that bother me are the NDA to an apartment complex in the hood with NO apartment # on them.... I don't like to be followed around by drug dealers looking for the package. Dog aren't the problem..
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
How is that dumb? I think you missed the part where he said..."it was in the res driveway". No where did he say, the dog ran out into the road and bit his tires.

So either youre not looking for children, objects and dogs. Or youre going to fast in a long driveway.

We have had guys run over dogs while going under 5 mph. When a dog bites and holds on to a tire u can't do anything.



The defenses case does not hold water!!!!
 

Leadfarmer153

Well-Known Member
I don't call any customers period be it dog or whatever other reason. When UPS starts given me a phone to use I might start. The only exception to the rule is when I stop at a business for a COD and they ask if they can meet me somewhere later then I will give them my number other wise it's Ni1, 2, 3.

The only stops that bother me are the NDA to an apartment complex in the hood with NO apartment # on them.... I don't like to be followed around by drug dealers looking for the package. Dog aren't the problem..

You're route is completely different. A dog is the least of your worries. But I know how ya feel. Before UPS I drove for a pizza place. Knocking on a door at 1130 at night in the hood looking back over your shoulder while carrying a bag for of cash. Not fun.
 

Leadfarmer153

Well-Known Member
And we had a guy run over a dogs head right in front of the owner. The owner told the driver if he ever saw him again at his house he'd kill him. The driver moved from his route the next day.

GUYS I don't agree with all things are avoidable. But if they don't charge us they are basically giving us permission to run over dogs. 99% of the sups don't agree with charging us. But rules is rules and they have to. Sign your paper don't do it again anytime soon. That's it. Dogs get run over but there argument will always be the same...what if that's a kid. Kids wonder by the trucks they ride bikes into the rode. I had two kids jump on the back tail of my truck right when I started it. They ran up and jumped on the back. Needless to say I yelled at them!
 

iowa boy

Well-Known Member
It does turn out though, that the dude was watching the whole thing from inside the house and chose not to come out. That just plain ticks me off and negates my mistake of putting the package on the truck. Whole thing could have been avoided if he would have stuck his head out the door and called off his dogs.

Sigh again.

And you know if he would have come outside and just told you 'don't worry, the dogs wont bite' and not said a word to the dogs.

I've had people tell me this and get pissed when I tell them that I don't know the dog(s) like you do and they don't know me like they know you.
 

Re-Raise

Well-Known Member
And we had a guy run over a dogs head right in front of the owner. The owner told the driver if he ever saw him again at his house he'd kill him. The driver moved from his route the next day.

GUYS I don't agree with all things are avoidable. But if they don't charge us they are basically giving us permission to run over dogs. 99% of the sups don't agree with charging us. But rules is rules and they have to. Sign your paper don't do it again anytime soon. That's it. Dogs get run over but there argument will always be the same...what if that's a kid. Kids wonder by the trucks they ride bikes into the rode. I had two kids jump on the back tail of my truck right when I started it. They ran up and jumped on the back. Needless to say I yelled at them!

My biggest regret, other than wasting my time reading your posts, is that I can't negative rep you again until I spread some rep around.

First of all learn the difference between "there" and "their"

Second, it is not true that all managers have to charge you when a dog gets ran over. Our managers have enough common sense not to. I am a 20 year safe driver and have unfortunately... ran over just about everything that walks or crawls at one time or another.. (Unforgiven reference)... and have never been charged with it.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
Would you drive into a long driveway with a loose dog barking and growling alongside your vehicle? It doesn't matter how slow you go, the dog can still run under your back tires. Or would you take your chances walking it off and hope you don't get bit?

I know these are all hypothetical questions for you, because you are obviously not a driver in a rural area.
I would mark it ni
i1, ni2, ni3 dog in remarks. I don't go in any driveways, yet I don't deliver in the country. I do not walk off anything, where I even remotely feel a dog may be loose. I hit one in the road a few yrs back and I still cry when I go by. It was like zero out, it was a rotty, it was named lucy, and she ran in front of my truck and it was a solid sheet of ice, I ran over her with my duallys. It still haunts me, as I love dogs. I had my coat on her, in the middle of the road, she was too big for anyone to move, and it affects me to this day. They did not blame me, today they would.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
Re: You guys love that word...Harassment

I am still bummin about a delivery from yesterday.

I parked on the street, 2 dogs in the yard. Walked up with a package and the dogs start going nuts. They were obviously trained to respect an electric fence, but neither had a collar on. They started pacing the border and 1 was lunging a little over the border. The closer to the garage, the more the 1 crossed the line. I backed off and decided to set the package on the hood of a pickup. I figured if I left it in the muddy driveway, that would be a claim, leave at the garage and the dogs are going to tear it apart, spend some more time thinking and the dogs are going to cross the line and I could be bit.

I got a message later in the day that the customer was filing a claim for scratches on the hood of his truck.

He drove to the center, stopped for an estimate at a body shop on the way and wants UPS to pay for scratches that the center manager and my supe could not see. Dude says he is unemployed and is UPS hiring. Boss says, "Yes, but not people that file claims against our drivers." center manager suggests a can of wax and buffing out the hood this weekend. He said if there was still a problem to call back Monday. I suspect that being unemployed, the dude is still going to want the $50.

Sigh.

I certainly grant that putting a package on the hood was not the best.

It does turn out though, that the dude was watching the whole thing from inside the house and chose not to come out. That just plain ticks me off and negates my mistake of putting the package on the truck. Whole thing could have been avoided if he would have stuck his head out the door and called off his dogs.

Sigh again.

I agree. I would not choose that place, but when the :censored2: is looking at you and cant come out, how dumb is that. Im so sick of those who look at you, and their dog is barking so loud, they cant hear you say, "hey :censored2:, I cant go by your dog" How about you take off your slippers, and come get this box!
 

Re-Raise

Well-Known Member
GUYS I don't agree with all things are avoidable. But if they don't charge us they are basically giving us permission to run over dogs.

Do you really believe this? I love dogs. Do you really believe that any driver would like to have "permission" to run over dogs? That is insane.

A dog is an unpredictable animal. I have unfortunately owned dogs who have been hit on the road. I would never blame the driver of the vehicle, or expect him to endanger his family's safety to avoid hitting my dog.
 

Re-Raise

Well-Known Member
I sheet it up as undeliverable,

Since I am new to this delivery thing, only 20 years, how the hell do sheet something as "undeliverable" ? Speak UPS language like you are really a driver. Are you saying NI1, EC, or the dreaded non delivery other..other that they love so much?
 

brownmonster

Man of Great Wisdom
You saw the dog after, you're screwed. Just hope you don't run over his head. Lay on the horn to see if someone comes out of the house. Probably not during the day.

We all have cell phones. Calling for safety or to avoid being charged with running over a dog....I think that's a grey area UPS will accept.

Start calling and before long the 80% will turn into 30% of dogs running loose. Once people stop getting there package and are notified dog is loose you don't get your stuff you'll be surprised how often you see that dog.

It's what I started doing after I saw a dog completely destroy a package after I threw it at him so he wouldn't bite me. Ate the plastic bag then the sweater that was inside. I have no clue how the dog lived after eating plastic and cloth.

Or keep driving in fear everyday of 80% of your stops. I'd rather do something about it instead of "that isn't my job to contact the house"

Apparently you aren't a UPS driver.
 

Packmule

Well-Known Member
Today I hit a dog on my route I was feeling pretty horrible about that ,but when I found out I was being charged for an accident my feeling turned to anger. Since it was in the res. driveway I should have expected the unexpected. Just got 9 year safe driving yesterday.Has this happened to anyone else?

Yep. Got crucified by management over it. I was clocked at 3 mph with 3 dogs running around the truck when one crawled under. No one was home to help. Got charged just because I was in a resi driveway--which was unavoidable if delivering this stop. That's why I went to Union proposal meeting and suggested there should be language stating we cannot be charged with accident just for being in a residential driveway. Today the policy in my center is, if there are dogs running in the street, call the cops. If they are in residential driveways, and tend to get in blind spots, if you cannot walk it off, bring the package back sheeted as missed. Talk to owners if you can. Suggest drop boxes, alternate locations, will call, etc. Turn it over to management to force a will call if customer won't work with you. The problem? Customers promise the moon, but rarely follow through. Also, getting management to step up and do their part when it is necessary. Good luck and welcome to life at UPS.
 

3 done 3 to go

In control of own destiny
Imo. Driving Honor's mean absolutely nothing to me. If you think about it? Who cares. Is it going to make you a better person. I also would never go to Atlanta,Ga. To see a placque on the wall. UPS will do anything to try to make the driver feel incompetent. It is leverage they think they can use. To pass blame.It is a shame a dog dies. They will go on our emotions.
We deliver to the customer. Almost every house in America has a dog. It is going to happen.
 

barnyard

KTM rider
Since I am new to this delivery thing, only 20 years, how the hell do sheet something as "undeliverable" ? Speak UPS language like you are really a driver. Are you saying NI1, EC, or the dreaded non delivery other..other that they love so much?

We sheet them EC and type 'dog' into the comment section. I generally type 'mean dog' or 'biting dog' so if the package is tracked, they know what is going on.
 
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